


Tender

by MaloMaximus



Category: Bleach
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-24
Updated: 2014-04-24
Packaged: 2018-01-20 14:34:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1514003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaloMaximus/pseuds/MaloMaximus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After being injured in a fight, Ikkaku cares for Yumichika. Takes place before becoming shinigami.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tender

It wasn’t often Yumichika was this injured. That was Ikkaku’s thing, and it was his job to make sure the bald fighter healed enough to fight again another day, though occasionally their situations reversed. It was a rare occurrence, and more often than not, Yumi was never battered this hard when he did have his own fights to win.

With his yukata folded down around his waist, Yumi sat still as Ikkaku carefully wrapped his broken ribs and bruised shoulder. He could feel the calluses on the bald man’s fingers against his soft skin as Ikkaku smoothed a bit of cloth across his back and shivered a bit at the quick touch, earning a small sound that he knew meant to stay still. Yumi obeyed for the most part, though did try to hold his arm out while Ikkaku wound another piece of cloth around his arm, then gingerly around his chest to support his injured shoulder, only going back to relaxing when a touch of the bald fighter’s hand against his elbow signified they were done.

Ikkaku was oddly quiet as he sat back, finished bandaging his friend, and Yumi turned stiffly to look over his shoulder at the other man. The thick twist of his dark hair had been pulled forward to one side and draped over his chest, but when he tried to push it back to where it normally lay down his back, Yumi winced, hissing at the strain lifting his uninjured arm put on his ribs. He hated having to rely so much on the other man - weakness was so not beautiful - but it was an ugly necessity of life sometimes.

Catching Yumi’s discomfort, Ikkaku reached forward and gently guided the mass of straight, dark hair down his friend’s back.

“Idiot, don’t lift your arms or you’ll make it worse.” He scolded, but the tender way he continued running his fingers over and through Yumichika’s hair gave him away. “They really did a number on you today, huh? I mean, you still kicked their asses, but look at you.”

Yumi rolled his eyes and tried to squirm back into his yukata properly, though it took a bit of help from the bald man, who turned to rummage through their packs for something once he’d finished.

“Yes, well… at least they won’t be bothering anyone anytime soon,” Yumi said, sitting straight and elegant on his stool, despite the soreness in his chest. All the same, he could feel his body demanding rest, and that meant moving to the futon they shared. “I want to lay down, Ikkaku, but my hair is going to tangle if it’s left loose and I can’t lift my arms enough to brush it.”

There was no actual request, but there didn’t need to be.

“One step ahead of you, babe,” Ikkaku rumbled from behind him, holding up the brush and hair tie he’d fished out of Yumi’s bag. His hands were a bit unsure, a bit clumsy, but he’d had to brush the other man’s long hair when he’d been beaten up enough to require it - or when Yumi had requested it, often under the guise of a fake injury so Ikkaku would never know how much he really enjoyed it, but the bald man was at least a bit smarter than Yumi gave him credit for. Starting at the tips, he pulled the brush through his friend’s hair in even, steady strokes, carefully working out any knots and tangles until it fell as smoothly as it was going to.

Ikkaku took a moment to carefully separate the longer portion of Yumi’s hair from his bangs and split it into three sections, slowly twisting them into a loose braid down the other man’s back. All that ended with a quick, tender kiss to the pale skin on the back of Yumi’s neck he so very rarely saw, then a quick nuzzle to his uninjured shoulder, making the injured man lean against him for more. 

“Hey, hey. I thought you wanted to lay down,” Ikkaku protested as he tried to urge Yumi up and off the stool and towards the bed, which didn’t take too much coaxing as he kept a gentle hand on the other man’s hip and held him steady until he could get comfortable, resting on his side, like he normally slept. Already sagging with exhaustion from the fight and from being injured, Yumi went quietly, only a soft, content sigh as he settled into bed and Ikkaku helped tuck the blanket over him. The bald fighter didn’t immediately join him, instead taking his time putting away any unused bandages and putting out most of the unnecessary lamps in the room.

It was only when Yumi made a small sound of discomfort that Ikkaku looked over to find the other man trying to watch him from his position on the floor.

“What are you doing? Go to sleep,” Ikkaku said quietly as he moved over to the bed again, this time preparing to get in, himself.

“The bed is cold, I can’t sleep,” he whined and shifted back as Ikkaku spooned carefully up behind him, wrapping the other man in his strong, warm embrace. His face pressed against the side of his lover’s neck, not quite in his hair, but he’d probably end up waking himself being smothered in it, but he didn’t care. The way Yumi nestled back against him and finally started to relax was more than enough to keep him snuggled close. One hand rested comfortably on the lean curve of the other man’s obliques, their ankles laced together, the bends of their knees lined up with a practiced sort of ease that came with sleeping beside each other night after night.

“Is that better?” Ikkaku asked, but all he got in response was the soft, even sound of Yumi’s breathing. The bald man huffed in amusement and closed his eyes. They were safe for the night, and they could sleep easily.


End file.
